Spring sash balance



May 15, 1928.

-A. F. MANTZ SPRING 'SASH BALANCE Filed June 29, 1927 .VI/ETOI/Q/J Patented May 15, 1928.

UNITED STATES A'LOYSIUS r. man'rz', or LOS ANGELES, camronnm,

SPRING SASH BALANCE.

Application filed June 29, 1927. Serial No. 202,289.

My invention relates to improvements in sash balances and has for its principal objects, the provision of a' relatively simple and practical spring sash balance that is entirely automatic in action, capable of being readily adjusted so as to regulate the tension of the spring in relation to the Weights of the sash with which the balance is associated and further, to provide a spring sash balance of the character referred to, that is capable of being readily installed or removed and replaced, in the event of adjustments or repairs.

Further objects of my invention are to generally improve upon and simplify the construction of the existing oi'ms of spring sash balances and to provide an automatic sash balance that is inexpensiveof manufacture and installation and noiseless in operation.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts that will hereinafter be more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which;

Fig; 1 is a front elevational view of a spring sash balance, constructed in accordance with my invention. 7

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a crosssection taken on the line 3-3 of Fig.2.

Fig. 4 is'an enlarged vertical section taken approximately on the line 44 of Fig. 1.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a practical" embodiment of my invention, 10 designates a plate preferably of metalthat is secured in any suitable manner, preferably by means of screws 11, to the face of a window jamb J, a short distance above the plane normally occupied by the meeting rails of a pair of window sash, when the latter are in closed positions.

Formed through the jamb J, to Which the.

balance is applied, to the rear of plate 10, is a circular opening 12, that is occupied by 1 the spring housing and cable carrying drums formin a part of my invention.

Rigi ly xed in any suitable manner to the upper central portion of plate 10 and projecting inwardly through the center of the opening 12, is a tubular member 13 that functions as a combined axis and support for the cable carrying spools or drums and for the spring housing.

The rear or inner end of the tubular member 13 is closed by an integrally formed wall 14'and the front or outer end of said tubular member is closed by an inserted plug or cap 15.

Mounted to rotate freely on the support 13, is a sleeve 16,and rigidly fixed to the end thereof,,adjacent to plate 10, are discs 17, that are spaced apart to form a narrow cable carrylng drum or spool and to support the inner helix or coil of the cable that winds upon this drum or spool, a plurality of supporting members 18 are pressed from-one of said discs 17 and said supporting members extend horizontally and bear against the other disc.

Loosely mounted on the support. 13 and disposed between plate 10 and adjacent to one of the discs 17, is a washer 19.

Loosely mounted on the inner portion of support 13 and upon the intermediate port1on of sleeve 16, is a spring housing 20, preferably of sheet metal and carried by and spaced apart from the inner wall of I of supporting members 22 are pressed from the disc 21, which supporting members extend horizontally toward a bar against the inner wall of the spring housing'20. Loosely arranged on sleeve 16 between disc 21 and the adjacent disc 17, is a washer 19.

In order to lubricate the sleeve 16 during its operation on the 81.11%8113 '13, the latter is filled with a wick or a rous material car rying liquid lubricant and an aperture 23 is formed through the wall of the tubular support 13 to permit lubricant to flow into the bearing. between the support and the sleeve 16. In order to lubricate the inner portion of the housing 20 and the drum or spool carried thereby, an aperture 24 is formed through the central portion of sleeve 16 and thus provision is made for lubricating the sleeve 16 that is mounted for rotation on support 13 and the housing 20 and the drum or spool that is mounted for r0ta- .tion on said sleeve 16.

position upon the support 13, a disc is detachably secured in any suitable manner, preferably by means of a screw 26, to the end wall 14 of support 13 and the outer portion of this disc overlies the inner portion of the rear wall of housing 20. Arranged within the housing 20' is a spiral spring 27, the inner .end of which is an- ,chored to sleeve 16 and the outer end being anchored to the circumferential wall of housing 20 (see Fig. 3).-

Secured in any suitable. manner to the drum or spool comprising sleeve 16 and discs 17, is one end of a flexible member 28, preferably a wire cable, the main body portion of which is wound in coils, one directly on top of the other between the discs 17. The

. outer end of said flexible member extends form curved or inclined bearing members 31 that are engaged by the inclined portion of the cable 28, as it passes through the opening 29, while the upper sash is being raised onlowered.

A flexible member, preferably a wire cable 32, has its inner end secured in any suitable manner to the drum or spool that forms a part of the housing 20, said cable being wound upon the last mentioned drum or spool.

The outer portion of this cable extends downwardly and outwardly through an opening 33, that is formed in the lower right-hand portion of plate 10 and the lower end of said cable isanchored in any suitable manner, preferably by means of a hook, such as 30, to the lower portion of the adjacent stile of the lower sash. Portions of the plate 10, immediately above and below the opening'33, are bent inward and upward to provide curved or inclined bearing members 34, for the cable 32, as it passes through said opening.

It will be understood that in each window, there are two of the spring sash balances, one being located in each jamb and thus the upper sash is connected by the cables 28 and drums comprising the discs 17 and sleeves 16, to the inner ends of the two spiral springs 27 and that, in a somewhat similar manner, the lower sash is connected by the cables 32 and the drums associated with the housings 20, to the outer ends of said spiral springs, or vice versa.

When the balances are installed, the springs 27 are partially coiled or wound so as to produce a certain degree of tension, but which tension, While tending to raise the lower sash and pull the upper sash downward, is insuflicient to move either one of the sash, due to theweight thereof and the frictional engagement between the stiles of the sash and the window frame including the jambs, parting strips and stops.

In the event that the lower sash is raised, the tension existing in the springs 27 will cause the housings 20 to rotate on the sleeves 16, due to the tension of the springs to unwind and as said housings and the drums associated therewith *rotate, the cables 32 will be wound upon the drums that are associated with said housings and during this rotation of the drums 20, the inner ends of the springs 27 will remain stationary, due to to said sleeves, thereby imparting further tension to said springs, but the outer portions of said springs will not be efiected by this winding action, due to the fact that the outer ends'of said springs are connected to the outer walls of the housings 20.

' During the travel of the cables 28 and 32, through the. openings 29 and 33 respectively, the inclined or angular portions of said cables bean upon and are supported by the iii-turned members 31, that are disposed directly above and below said openings (see Fig. 4).

Thus it will be seen that the'springs 27 function as resilient and yielding equalizers between the cable connections to the two sash of the window and that, in effect said springs yieldingly support the two sash in both open and closed positions, or at any and all intermediate points in their travel. In some instances it may be found desirable to utilize two separate spiral springs on the same axle and to connect one cable carrying drum with each spring and which arrangement will ln'ing about the same results as are accomplished by the structure herein illustrated and described.

A, p rticularly desirable feature of my invention is the saving of time in the installation of the balance, for it is only necessary to cut a circular opening in the jamb, for the accommodation of the cable drums and spring housing and to cut away portions of the jamb below the circular opening for the accommodation of the intermediate mem here 34. v

The balance 1s arranged flatwise in the jamb and thus the pulleys occupy positions substantially at right angles to the plane occupiedby the window sash. As a result of this arrangement, it is not necessary to cut away a portion of the wall behind the jamb for the accommodation of the balance.

A spring sash balance of my improved construction is comparatively simple, is practically noiseless in operation, is inexpensive of manufacture, capable of being readily installed and is Very effective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

It will be readily understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved spring sash balance may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a spring sash balance, a pair of cable carrying drums mounted for independent rotation and a spiral spring having its outer end connected to one of said drums and its inner end connected to the other drum.

2. In a spring sash balance, a support, a pair of drums mounted for independent rotary movement upon said support, flexible members connected to and adapted to wind on to said drums, which flexible members are adapted to be secured to window sash and a spiral spring, having its outer end connected-to one of said drums and its inner end connected to the other drum.

- 3. In a spring. sash balance, a pair of drums mounted for independent rotary portions connected respectively" to said drums.

,4. In a spring sash balance, a plate, a support carried thereby, a pair of drums mounted for independent rotary movement upon said support, flexible members connected to and carried by said drums, the ends of which flexible members are adapted to beiconnect-ed to window sash and a spiral spring having its end portions connected respectively to said drums.

5. In a spring sash balance, a plate, a sup port carried thereby, a pair of drums mounted for independent rotary movement upon said support, flexible members connected to and carried by said drums, the ends of which flexible members are adapted to be connected to window sash, a spiral spring having its end portions connected respec-' connected to window sash, a spiral spring having its end portionsconnected respectively to said drums, a housing for said spring and means for lubricating the bearingsof said drums.

7. In a spring sash port carried thereby, a pair of drums mounted for independent rotary movement on said support, a spiral spring, having its end portions connected respectively to said drums,

balance, a plate, a supflexible members connected to and carried by said drums and there being openings formed in the lower portion of said plate for the passage of said flexible members.

8. In a spring sash balance, a plate, a support carried thereby, a pair of drums mounted for independent rotary movement on said support, a spiral spring, having its end portions connected respectively to said drums, flexible members connected to and carried by said drums, there beingopenings formed in the lower portion of said plate for the pas-' sage of said flexible members and combined bearing and guiding members arranged on said plate above and below the openings therein, for said flexible members.

9. The combination with the window jamb provided with an opening, of a spring sash balance positioned in said openin which sash balance includes .a pair of cab e drums and ,a spiral spring, the ends of which are a connected respectively to the cable drums and which drums, when positioned in the jamb, occupy positions substantially at right angles to the plane occupied by the sash, with which the balance is associated.

10. The combination with the window jamb provided with an opening, of a spring sash balance positioned in said openin which sash balance includes a pair of cable drums and a spiral spring, the ends of which are connected respectively to the cable drums, and which sash balance occupies an ALOYSIUS F. MANTZ. 

